A pool wheelchair is a specialised wheelchair designed for use in aquatic environments, such as swimming pools. Photos: 123rf.com
No one is more keenly aware of the benefits of water-based activities than residents of Santa Cruz County in California, the United States.
Take a look a Steamer Lane - a place for surfing equipment or food - when a massive swell rolls through or head to a public pool on a sweltering summer day and the appeal will be self evident.
But thousands of community members with disabilities don’t always have equal access to these resources and the many benefits they bring, spurring local leaders and advocates to rise to the challenge as they seek to close the equity gap.
As part of the latest victory in this effort, Simpkins Family Swim Center (SFSC) at 979, 17th Ave, in Live Oak, Santa Cruz has added a new pool wheelchair to complement its zero-depth entry ramp in the warm water pool.
Ensuring access to swimming pools and water activities for wheelchair users promotes inclusivity and equality.
David Molina, chair of the Santa Cruz County Commission on Disabilities, said the new wheelchair will replace an old one deemed obsolete through normal wear and tear.
It has been designed to complement the pool’s gently sloped entrance, which can be a barrier for some.
“It’s such a water-based county and for a lot of our people with disabilities, having access to these water programs is either difficult or sometimes even improbable,” said Molina. “I can’t tell you how much it helps.”
The idea to bring in a new chair came from Shared Adventures, a longtime non-profit that creates opportunities for social and recreational interaction for disabled people.
The Santa Cruz chapter of Omega Nu, which provides charitable support for various community projects through its fundraising efforts, provided US$2,000 (RM9,441) for the purchase with Shared Adventures supplying the rest.
“Omega Nu is very happy to be able to provide the swim chair for Shared Adventures,” said Nancy Rader, Omega Nu community giving chair, in a statement.
She added that the organisation is proud to contribute to efforts supporting members of the disabled community who are too often overlooked.
According to the interactive data platform DataShare Santa Cruz County, using data from 2017 to 2021, 11% of county residents, or about 29,500 people, have a disability.
Steve Miller, the board chair of Shared Adventures, said he is hoping this new asset will also help shed light on the low-stimulation swim hours SFSC hosts every Thursday (3pm to 5pm).
Providing wheelchair users with the chance to swim contributes to their physical and emotional well-being.
Miller called the weekly two-hour session “a hidden gem” that is ideal for disabled people needing pool access without the noise and splashing that might happen during standard hours.
“Come on out,” said Miller. “We’ve got a cool thing waiting for you.”
According to Miller, Shared Adventures has sponsored the low-stimulation session to ensure it is available for free to all who need it.
Similarly, Santa Cruz County Parks superintendent Sarah Shea encouraged those with disabilities to take advantage of the swim hours without hesitation.
“We don’t label, we don’t discriminate, we don’t say: “Show your disability card at the door,” said Shea. “These are the hours, we hope you can come in and join us and please be respectful of the space and what we’re providing for the community right now which are these quieter, low-stimulus hours.”
Brenda Gutierrez, who is vice chair of the disabilities commission and uses a wheelchair, said that the newly added pool chair is illustrative of an important distinction between universally accessible facilities and ones that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
She said that while the pool is ADA accessible, the pool chair is a key universal equity feature that gives opportunities to those who may otherwise still be unable to move down the sloping entrance.
“I feel like universal design has been getting more uptake as the years go by,” said Gutierrez. “It’s an amazing feeling to start to see that change.”
In addition to the pool chair, the warm water pool also has a stationary lift on its border that can lift individuals directly into the water.
Gutierrez said she first began to notice the county’s eye for universal access when she saw Leo’s Haven - an inclusive playground - at Chanticleer Avenue County Park in Santa Cruz.
The park opened in 2020 and includes features that appeal to individuals of all abilities such as a rubberised surfacing, adapted swings and quiet entryways for those with sensory difficulties.
Gutierrez said she now has her sights set on bringing beach mats to the county, which it currently doesn’t have. The mats provide a firm, traversable surface option for those who cannot easily move on sand.
Likewise for Molina, the issue is highly personal. Molina’s nine-year-old son, Stefan, is autistic and has been participating in an adaptive swim program for years.
He said that not only is water physically and emotionally therapeutic for Stefan, but learning how to swim is a critical skill for him, as accidental drownings are tragically common for those who are autistic.
He said SFSC is currently the only public pool in the county offering low-stimulation swim hours and he’s aiming to add a few more locations into the mix soon.
“The disabled community is really wide and vast, and the unique benefits they all get from water... and the list goes on and on,” said Molina. – Santa Cruz Sentinel/TNS
